Here at Salford Watersports Centre we strive to ensure we are providing high quality, safe and an enjoyable experience. We only run ‘supervised sessions’ and all of our team are highly trained and qualified in what they do!
Whilst we aim to provide a safe environment, Open Water Swimming and Adventurous activities, especially in cold open water, does come with some risks. If you do choose to swim with us or take part in activity, you do so at your own risk. We recommend checking in and seeking approval from a your health professional if you have any medical concerns.
We are always on hand to offer any advice/help we can, if you need to ask us a question or inform us of anything before you swim – simply email us at Watersportscentre@scll.co.uk and we’ll get back to you.
If you are feeling unwell, have medical concerns that may be affected by activity, we recommend that you do not swim.
Swimming Rules:
Things you need to do/be aware of before you swim:
It’s incredibly important that you only swim/continue to swim if you are sure you are comfortable. If at any point you need assistance, please lie on your back, wave and shout to our safety team if you can.
Acclimatising to cold water:
There’s lots of advice on this so we’ll put a few links below, we also have coaching sessions available which are highly recommended if you need extra help or are just starting out on your cold journey.
Our advice on acclimatisation is wear layers and take your time.
Other tips:
Links:
How to acclimatise – Outdoor Swimming Society Outdoor Swimming Society
Cold water swimming: what is the safest way to do it? – BBC News
Post swim safety is just as important as safety pre and during your swim, especially in cooler temperatures.
It’s important to warm up slowly:
Only when you feel properly warmed up should you shower, the reason for this is to reduce the risk of the ‘Afterdrop’ which is where your body continues to cool post swim.
The ‘Afterdrop’ can happen immediately or an hour or so after your swim, it’s where you can start to shiver and feel and feeling unwell/faint.
For more information please see:
After drop & the subtle art of warming up – Outdoor Swimming Society Outdoor Swimming Society
The inner basins at Salford Quays are separate to the Manchester Ship Canal, the water is tested every 2 weeks by APEM who manage water quality at Salford Quays to ensure we meet the Bathing Water Directive. We only swim when water quality is high.
The remit of APEM’s work includes:
Check out their blog on Apems partnership with us for more information: